Type II Family: A Mother's Day Tradition
by PH2W
Summary: Just a one shot honoring Shannon's memory... Enjoy & Happy Mother's Day!


_**Disclaimer: Of course NCIS… characters… and such belong to the powers that be & not ME!!! Story created for purely entertainment value.**_

_**You know the drill… I don't own it, but the story is all mine. The character of Kathleen, the 2**__**nd**__** Mrs. Gibbs, is complete fiction and has no connection to actual show history.**_

_**A/N: This is just a little Mother's Day offering in my Type II Family AU. I wish all the Mothers out there a very special day. **_

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There was a bittersweet feeling every year when this day came around. It had gotten better as the kids got older, but was still tough for so many reasons. Kathleen had left earlier to take the baby to her parents. Prepping clothes the night before Jethro knew that all he had to do was execute getting Tony and Kate dressed and out the door. As he fastened his tie he thought of times with Shannon and how the tradition began….

**Flashback**

_She was lying in the bed, red hair flaming all around her head, squirming and laughing at the sight before her. "Jethro, please just let me get up and help? This is crazy something is seriously going to spill."_

_Shaking his head the visiting father proceeded with a 2-year-old clinging to his pant leg and a 5-year-old attempting to be helpful, but destined to trip him up._

"_Hey little bit will you tell mommy this is her special day and she's not supposed to help."_

_Kelly giggled and swayed with her tiny tray, holding a single rose in a vase along with two slices of toast. "No helping mommy!"_

"_Okay, you two. I guess I have to make it a rule. What number are we up to Kells?"_

"_I don't know. Can we make it one hundred?"_

_Both parents laughed as Jethro situated both trays. His of course containing the bulk of the breakfast in bed fixings, then he settled Tony on the bed next to his wife. Kelly had recently become obsessed with the number since her kindergarten class finally mastered counting that high._

"_Well, sweet-pea I don't think we have a hundred rules just yet, but we can do it and then just fill in the rest up to there later." This solution being satisfactory Kelly climbed up on the bed too sitting near her brother. She tried to get him to sit on her lap, but he was having none of it. Tony didn't like being forced to sit too still._

_As Gibbs settled he said, "okay, let's hear it."_

"_Alright, rule 100 is 'mommy spends time with her favorite people and is treated like a Princess on her special day'. How's that sound?"_

_Nodding his head in agreement Jethro popped a berry in his mouth and tried to get his son to try it too. Kelly was far more vocal and enthusiastic. She clapped her hands squealing about having one hundred rules now._

"_Not quite baby, but we're working on it."_

_Nothing but happy sounds poured forth as the four Gibbs enjoyed their time together. It had worked out perfectly that Jethro had finally gotten some leave time exactly when she needed him most. This would be a difficult pregnancy requiring an excessive amount of bed rest for the ever busy mommy of two. She hoped the challenge meant it would produce an easy child. The vicious kick she got clued her in that maybe 'easy' was too ambitious a goal._

_Noticing her subtle jolt Jethro immediately reached out. "How's it going in there little one," he asked leaning in a little over his other two kids heads._

_Placing his hand on Shannon's belly he felt his soon to be baby girl's foot reach out with an abundance of force. Kelly and Tony both loved talking to mommy's tummy. Apparently the baby loved their voices too and would flutter around and kick up a storm when she heard them. Her space was fully invaded now, but Shannon Bethany Gibbs didn't mind at all. This was what she had dreamed about her whole life. Having a big family that just enjoyed being with one another. With Jethro being gone so much these moments became even more special. She allowed her head to fall back onto the pillows as six hands rubbed her belly, Tony and Kelly singing all the songs they knew. Right now it was a poorly harmonized rendition of the Itsy Bitsy Spider. Closing her eyes Shannon guessed her newest little one would be tone deaf too, because she seemed to love her siblings singing._

**End Flashback**

Walking across the hall to get things moving Gibbs smiled at the memory. Bittersweet was the only way to describe what remembering did to him, making him both happy and sad at the same time.

He had been talking up their special morning together all week so it didn't surprise him when both Tony and Kate were so agreeable about getting up early. It was always his hope that somehow she was able to watch their kids grow up knowing that he was trying to do a good job. It was part of what kept him going. He always wanted to make her proud.

In the car they were all pretty quiet. At nearly seven Tony had a better understanding of what the day meant, but a 4 1/2-year-old Kate would still ask some of the same questions over and over. Both father and brother had finally exhausted her with answers. Gibbs made a quick stop to the florist to pick-up the order Kathleen had placed a few days earlier. His new wife respected what the day meant to him and why she couldn't participate. As long as he made it to her mother's for Brunch she was fine with him following through on this ritual. Kathleen truly was a good woman and Gibbs was often disappointed in himself for not being who she needed him to be as a husband.

When they pulled up to there destination Kate was left in her car seat while Tony unbuckled himself hopping down from his booster seat. Kate started kicking her legs in anticipation of being let out as she watched her father spread the blanket and unpack the picnic basket. Tony helped to set things right. Finally, she was free.

"I wanna sing the first song." Kate announced flopping in Jethro's lap.

"You go right ahead Katie. Tony you get to pick the next one."

They were never there very long, but Gibbs always honored rule 100. Shannon got to spend her special day with her favorite people and he did all the work. He would let the kids talk to their mommy and big sister about whatever was going on in their world. The singing, berries, and storytelling never as good to him as those times at home when they were alive, but it helped him to create a new special Mother's Day tradition with his children keeping Shannon as real to them as he could.

Situating the flowers Gibbs cleaned up the mini picnic and got the kids back in the car. As he drove off to his new son, new wife, and new traditions Leroy Jethro Gibbs gave a sad look in his rearview mirror to the tradition he was leaving behind.


End file.
